04 Aug 2019

- Francistown District Youth coordinator, Gobonaone Ramoupo says the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development has adopted a professionalisation of sports and creative industries as one of the key strategies of the ministry.

Giving a keynote address after a week-long sports administrators course organised by the International Olympic Committee in conjunction with the Francistown youth office, he said accompaniments to this, the ministry has selected courses, sports administration and technical up-skilling, sports governance strengthening, promotion of sports tourism, hosting of major international sporting events, anti-doping and facility development.

The coordinator also said there was need for participants to continue upgrading themselves in such courses because they were important steps to develop themselves. Ramoupo said sports was an essential industry that impacted positively on the economy if taken seriously.

He said sports development could be realised through aspects like volunteerism, taking training seriously, and also being well informed on issues of sports around the world.

 He urged participants to seriously take the training offered and put it to use in their future goals.

Ramoupo encouraged graduates to continue upgrading their knowledge in sports administration, adding that such knowledge was important and could drive towards sports development.

Course director at BNOC, Keefelakae Moloi alluded that it was important to involve people in the strategies being formulated.

He said the sports industry needed to develop creative ways of attracting sponsors, and that it must improve how they run competitions, and how they dealt with athletes.

Furthermore, he said athletes needed to be developed so that they produced better results, adding that such would be achieved if there were training administrators and facilities. He said once the sports industry was developed it would trickle to develop other associated industries hence the need to put more effort towards the goal.

Moloi said the biggest challenge in the sporting environment was governance hence the need to inculcate and motivate all to adhere to governance protocols and principles.

He encouraged graduates not to despair despite challenges, but rather to continue upgrading their knowledge on sports management.

Councillor Lesego Kwambala of Itekeng ward encouraged Botswana games team of Francistown to seek partnerships with relevant stakeholders and also build their own brand.

He said with the graduate’s determination and passion coupled with the knowledge gained it was time for them to deliver.

He said the greatest investment one could have was through education hence encouraging participants to continue upgrading their knowledge. ENDS